“I want to know why we were lied to!” said Rep. Trey Gowdy (R–S.C.) during the Congressional Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing, which concerned the events leading up to the Sept. 11 attacks in Libya, and the misinformation campaign that seemingly followed. Almost every week following the attack, new documents or testimonies have been revealed that call into question the Obama administration’s handling of the terrorist attack on America’s embassy in Bengzhai. This is not about politics or the left and right. This is about the security of our nation.
There are some very serious national security questions that need to be answered. The most significant question is: what did the President know, and when did he know it? Due to three e-mails that were leaked, we know the White House was aware of the attack and the terrorist group’s claim of responsibility within two hours of the events. Officials within the administration say that claims made on Facebook and Twitter hardly constitute evidence, but by the same logic, there’s no proof that an obscure YouTube anti-Muslim video caused the attack either. In fact, the document dump that resulted from the Oversight Committee points more toward a terrorist plot than toward a reaction to a video. There’s no mention of any video whatsoever, so to say the evidence wasn’t there is simply not true.
Recently, there has been stunning news that an unnamed administration official denied requests for military support three times while the embassy — and subsequently, the CIA safe house — was under attack. This constitutes a serious failure in our foreign policy. The administration did not provide adequate security for the embassy, and failed to deal with a direct threat to American personnel.
It’s clear that President Barack Obama’s foreign policy has failed. It’s time to set a new course, which begins with electing Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney.
Unlike Obama, Romney has laid out a plan that will work in the Middle East to bring peace to the region. An area of stark contrast between Obama and Romney’s plans is on the subject of Israel. With the situation in the Middle East growing darker every day — as well as the nuclear threat from Iran always looming — it’s irresponsible and dangerous to distance America from our closest ally in the region. From the perspective of the people in the Middle East and the rest of the world, the relationship between America and Israel is strained. Obama’s refusal to meet with the Israeli president made it look as if the ties between the two nations are weakening. Carrying out this country’s foreign policy requires reforms at home, as well as abroad. As Romney says, “… for us to be able to promote those principles of peace requires us to be strong. And that begins with a strong economy here at home.” Nothing could be closer to the truth.
This was written on behalf of the University’s chapter of College Republicans by Phil Brenz and Brent Goodman.